Living Well is the Best Revenge

Another heartbreak tale from the 'hood

The rain was falling softly as the cool wind chilled Connie's bones. She struggled to keep her composure as she shivered outside on the steps of the theater where her ex-husband Eddie was due to exit very shortly.

Connie was in a bad way, and she was sure that Eddie could help her out. She was broke, homeless, and sick from drug withdrawal. Her once sex queen looks were long gone, and she looked much older than her 50 years. Her face also bore the marks of a recent beating from one of her many male dope fiend friends, as Connie was hard pressed to survive in the streets and lifestyle she had chosen over Eddie more than 30 years ago.

As she stood outside the theater, shivering in a torn, dirty, and tattered coat, she tried to make herself inconspicuous among the well dressed patrons, but alas, Connie stuck out like a sore thumb and easily drew stares of bewilderment and pity.

As she looked upon the well dressed and attractive women , she remembered how she could have fit into this crowd 30 years ago‘«™.

SUMMER - 1975:

Eddie Aragon had just been discharged from a 5 year stint in the Marines, and he felt ready to take on the World.

Only 23 years old, Eddie had escaped the curse of gang life and the streets of L.A. by joining the Marines while still in high school. Despite a short tour of Viet Nam towards the end of the war, he had managed to finish high school, visit several foreign countries, and attain the rank of buck sergeant before being discharged.

He had enjoyed the rigors, camaraderie, & discipline of the Marine Corps life, but had decided against making it a career, as he had an interest in music and entertainment.

For the first couple of years while he attended college under the G.I. Bill, Eddie took advantage of the superb physical condition and fighting skills the Marine Corps had instilled upon him, and he took several odd jobs associated with show business as a bodyguard, night club and stage bouncer with much success.

During these years, Eddie came into contact with many beautiful women, but none so beautiful as Connie Garcia.

The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Connie was a few years younger than Eddie when they met. She had a chip on her shoulder for having led a poor life as a child, and the blessings of Latina beauty and sensuality became apparent by the time she was 14 years old, which she used like a weapon to get what she wanted from young men.

With long raven black hair, she was very curvy and well endowed by the time she was 14. Connie learned how to apply make up expertly despite her mother's objections that it made her "look too old for her age".

By the time she was 17, she had at least 5 sexual affairs with older men, the last having paid her over $500.00 for a weekend which Connie felt she had received an education that she would maximize to her benefit.

She met Eddie when she was 19, as he worked as a door bouncer for a popular nightclub.

She would flirt, smile, and sometimes give Eddie a sensual hug as he would let her in for free without asking for I.D. They became friends, and she always made sure Eddie got a good shot of her legs and cleavage whenever they saw each other. On the dance floor, Connie was spectacular and exotic, a talent that got her a job at a local strip club when she was only 20.

Connie was able to seduce and use men easily, and she did so as a professional vamp, amassing such things as a car, clothes, jewelry, and an apartment that she didn't have to pay for. She also made money posing for local magazines, and would brag that she turned Hugh Hefner of Playboy magazine down because she "didn't want to sleep with a dirty old white man".

Such was Connie's life as Eddie worked his way up the ladder of life slowly. She loved the life of luxury, and Eddie just loved life.

One night, a former boyfriend tracked Connie down to the nightclub where Eddie worked, and made a drunken, jealous scene. He was a large man who accused Connie of using him and taking his wallet while he slept in a motel room just outside of Los Angeles one night recently. Despite this, the man told Connie he still loved her and would forgive everything if she would just come home with him.

Connie laughed at the man and he lunged at her with a knife, threatening to "carve her face off" for making a fool out of him.

As she stood frozen in fear, she never saw Eddie come up from behind her as he stepped in front of her and made quick work of her attacker, breaking his arm that wielded the knife and knocking him unconscious with a series of quick blows. The police were quickly summoned.

As the crowd was shoo'ed off and the police took the man away, Connie came up to Eddie to thank him. She couldn't help but put her arms around his muscular neck and hug him sensually and firmly.

"Thanks, babe", she cooed into his ear, " I thought I was a goner for a minute. I owe my life and face to you, baby.", she laughed seductively. "What can I ever do to repay you?".

Feeling her toned and curvy body against his, Eddie hugged her back in a tight embrace. "I get off at 2am‘«™want to come over to my place ?", he asked, trying to sound sexy.

"Ooh! I thought you'd never ask!", Connie exclaimed, as she planted a warm wet kiss with plenty of tongue on him.

The next couple of months saw Eddie and Connie engaged in a torrid love affair, spending a lot of time together. Eddie fell in love, and proposed to Connie after only 5 months.

The wedding was a lavish affair, with Eddie spending every dime he had, and he borrowed thousands more from his family, as Connie had insisted on first class luxury she could bestow upon her family, who didn't have a dime. They had labeled Connie the "black sheep" of the family, and she felt this would redeem her in their eyes.

It didn't, and Connie became despondent, insisting that Eddie meet her every luxury wish and need to keep her happy.

Soon the bills began to mount, and Eddie was hard pressed to work 2 jobs to maintain their lifestyle, as Connie insisted on being treated like a princess, which Eddie did.

Connie simply did not want to work and felt she deserved to be taken care of because of her looks. She made the unforgivable mistake of ignoring her husband's needs for attention, and they began to move apart as Eddie was gone much of the time working. She didn't even try to help, and Eddie became miserable despite his deep love for her.

Connie became bored, and after a few months, she began frequenting a local bar with old friends. She began experimenting with cocaine and methamphetamine, and soon found herself "hooked".

As her habit increased, she began to sell off personal items, many of them expensive gifts Eddie had given her‘«™soon, the gifts ran out. She made many excuses for her behavior, and Eddie, out of deep love, always forgave her.

One day, Connie met a local pusher who promised her an endless supply of cocaine and good times if she would run away with him for a weekend.

"I could tell Eddie I'm going to visit my mother", she thought as her mind raced. The drug pusher was a very handsome man, and dressed better than Eddie did. He also flashed a big wad of bills that reminded Connie of her free wheeling days before she married Eddie‘«™.so she made up her mind to run away with him.

"Just give me time to go home, pack a bag, and leave a note for my husband", Connie said, sounding as seductively as she could.

They drove to Eddie & Connie's house, and Connie began packing. While watching her move about the house and change clothes, Mike could not contain himself, and soon, he and Connie were naked and locked in passion.

Eddie had been feeling bad and missing Connie's attention for some time. He decided he would quit his second job to spend more time with her, and attend radio broadcasting school. He decided he would quit at noon and surprise her‘«™

Eddie walked into his house hearing Connie giggle in a way he hadn't heard her laugh in months. He then heard a male voice‘«™

Running into his room, he entered as Connie and Mike were getting dressed. The sight of his wife's gorgeous naked body and another man getting dressed after the obvious drove Eddie crazy, and he began to angrily cry out loud as he ran out of the room.

He raced into his den and retrieved his pistol from his desk and began loading it as Mike ran out of the house wearing only his pants.

As Eddie finished loading the gun and began to run outside, Connie stopped him at the door. Eddie could see she had packed a suitcase.

"Don't be stupid, Eddie. You'll end up spending life in prison, and I'll just find me another man‘«™I'm sorry it came to this‘«™I gotta go, Eddie. It just didn't work, babe. It's only been 6 months, you can get our marriage annulled‘«™sorry babe‘«™"

Eddie stood in shocked disbelief as his wife gently kissed him on the cheek, picked up her suitcase and walked out‘«™no tears, no emotion‘«™he could only stare at her shapely backside as she walked away‘«™and he cried in pain‘«™

Eddie eventually got over his heartbreak and never saw Connie again. He was able to get the marriage annulled, and he moved to another town out of embarrassment and shame.

He fulfilled his dream of attending radio broadcasting school and became a celebrity over the next 30 years, producing music and movies as well. He became adept at producing live concerts, and became a very wealthy man. He never re-married, but enjoyed a string of beautiful women. He never forgot Connie, and what she had done to him, and never let any women get close to him. He never indulged in drugs or alcohol, and maintained his Marine Corps physical condition as best he could, and it showed well by the time he was in his early 50's.

Connie on the other hand went on to become a drug addict, seduced, used, and abused by many men. She worked as a prostitute, and had 3 children out of wedlock, all who were removed from her custody. She spent short terms in jail off and on over the years, and it took their toll on her and her looks. Her family had disowned her years before, and she had no friends who were able to help her.

She could no longer attract any men as a prostitute by the time she was 40, so she was reduced to begging and living in the streets, as she had never held a job and had no marketable skills‘«™.

FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT:

As Connie reminisced, she became aware of her being cold, hungry and uncomfortable. She thought of all she had gone through, thought of all she once had and lost.

"Que pendeja!" she thought.

She was ignored as she tried to bum cigarettes off strangers. She tried to smile at one man and beg for some change, but he simply laughed out loud at her, drawing attention to her as he sternly asked her to get away from him.

She watched as couples of all ages began exiting the theater, all happy, well dressed people spending time & life together. She felt deeply envious and embittered.

"That should have been me", she said to herself, as the pangs of hunger bit her stomach from the inside out. Her feet were now numb as she sat down on the steps against a wall.

"I should have been happy. Why did this happen to me?" She said to herself as the falling gentle rain made her aware that she was now soaked.

"Eddie once loved me‘«™pendejo even married me‘«™I could have had him wrapped around my finger if I had wanted‘«™I know he hasn't forgotten me‘«™I was the best he ever had‘«™the best any man ever had‘«™I know he can spare a couple of bucks‘«™he was in love with me.." she mumbled as she laid down on the ground, which now felt so warm and comfortable.

As she felt the gentle rain drops upon her face, she began to feel as if she was falling. She could hear voices but couldn't respond‘«™were those flashing lights from the theater that bright before, she thought?... where's Eddie?...is he ever coming out?...will he recognize me?...the ground seemed so comforting as all sounds began to fade‘«™.

Eddie Aragon had just finished a successful live show and was exiting the side entrance of the theater into a waiting limousine. He could see the flashing lights of an ambulance coming from the front of the theater.

"What's going on out there?", Eddie asked, as he climbed into the limousine with a couple of young attractive ladies.

"Oh..paramedics..", the limo driver said, "Seems some homeless old lady just died while sleeping on the steps of the theater", he said as he began to pull away.

"Oh‘«™that's too bad", Eddie said as one of the young ladies opened a bottle of champagne and poured him a glass as the limousine drove off...